UPN's 'America's Next Top Model 6' delivers record premiere ratings

By Reality TV World staff, 03/15/2006

It had to face off against the Fox's final American Idol 5 semifinals performance show in its first hour, however last week's special two-hour premiere of America's Next Top Model's sixth edition still did extremely well, delivering the UPN reality show's best ever premiere ratings.

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According to Nielsen's final ratings, last week's March 8 premiere of America's Next Top Model 6 averaged 5.3 million overall viewers, a 3.2/9 rating/share in the network's Adults 18-34 target demographic, a 4.8/12 rating/share in Women 18-34, a 2.5/6 rating/share in Adults 18-49, and a 3.8/9 rating/share in Women 18-49.

In addition to ranking as Top Model's best premiere ratings, the performance also placed the two-hour broadcast second in the Wednesday 8-10PM time period among Adults 18-34 and Women 4.8/12 (trailing only Fox.)

Once Idol ended at 9PM ET/PT, Top Model 6's premiere dominated the 9PM hour among Women 18-34, averaging a 5.8/15 rating/share in the demographic during its second hour.

Although the premiere was padded to include a first hour broadcast that focused on the cast process that resulted in the selection of the season's thirteen finalists, Top Model viewers didn't seem to mind. Rather than trail off like The Amazing Race 9 did during its own recent two-hour premiere, Top Model 6 viewers stuck around throughout the debut, with the premiere building its ratings throughout the two-hour broadcast.